HIV Tests In The USA

Testing oneself to see if there is an HIV infection present is the basic and important thing when it comes to the prevention of HIV, for providing care and treatment in the fight against this sexually transmitted disease. Educating people about the risks of HIV infection, and symptoms and prevention show that people who are infected with HIV change their behavior in order to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV virus to others. It is also important to know if you are infected with HIV in the early stage, as it gives you more chances to fight this sexually transmitted disease properly and in time. Doing all this and more reduces mortality and improve the quality of life.

Brief History Of HIV

In 1981, the first case of HIV infection has been reported, three years later the HIV virus, or human immunodeficiency virus is properly identified and a year later, the first test for detecting HIV virus called ELISA is introduced and licensed. In 1987, first Western Blot blood test was introduced to the general public, and a few years later, in the nineties, we were introduced with the first rapid and oral fluid test that can detect the HIV virus in bodily fluids, and first urine test that can be performed at home was introduced as well. In 2002, the first test performed by using a finger prick has become available, and the recommendation by CDC for HIV screening in the USA to become a routine for everyone living there, which was also recommended by WHO organization a few years later. In 2010, we got the first test that detects antigen and antibodies, first rapid oral fluid tests that can be performed at home, and in 2013, the most recent improvement in testing for HIV infection, we were introduced with first rapid test that not only detects antigens and antibodies but also distinguishes between the acute and established HIV first stage infection, which is a great improvement when it comes to testing for this sexually transmitted disease. When CDC recommended HIV routine screening in health care system for everyone, the more concise information about the risk behaviors emerged and was acknowledged. Those risk behaviors include using and sharing needles and syringes with people who have already been infected with HIV virus, unsafe sex, including vaginal, anal and oral sex without using condoms, and having unprotected sex with someone who already has the HIV, practicing sex for money, hepatitis diagnoses and more. It is important to be aware of all these behaviors because that awareness can help us in preventing HIV to spread epidemically.

Tests For Detecting HIV

Tests for detecting HIV that are currently available are conventional blood and oral fluids tests, rapid tests that can give you very accurate results in less than twenty minutes, home tests, which are extremely practical and simple, also with fast results, so that you can immediately know what to do next, and urine tests, which need your urine sample to be tested in labs.